What's the deal with iceburg lettuce?

[Laura]

I know iceberg doesn't have much taste or nutritional value but on certain things it can't be beat (BLT's, homemade burgers) I usually buy 3 or 4 different type lettuces and mix them (romaine, iceberg, mesculin mix and spinach).

[SandyM]

I eat it, but I refer to it as the "polyester" of the vegetable world.......

[ElinorC]

I agree with Laura and think iceburg lettuce has it's uses. I also mix all kinds of lettuce, romaine, spinach, etc for my salads. I especially like romaine because it holds up well with dressing (which some of the limper lettuces don't)and is crunchy. My husband doesn't like the mesclun mix very well -- he says it's too bitter.

[BarbaraL]

I grew up thinking "salad" meant iceburg lettuce. When I started having weight problems and started watching how much salad dressing I used, I realized how tasteless the iceburg was, and started eating Romaine lettuce, spinach, etc. My husband still prefers iceburg, and it's the best on BLTs or shrimp salad sandwiches -- adds crunch without competing with the flavor.

[Kristi]

I prefer other lettuces to iceburg, but I was thinking that I had read where iceburg wedges were supposed to be in the "in" thing in several hip restaurants, etc. Has anyone noticed this trend??

[Leanne]

Kristi - It is a trend in restaraunts - I've noticed it on menus alot. Usually served well chilled & with blue cheese dressing. Usually costing about 6-8$ for a quarter of a head of iceburg,where the whole head only costs about 70cents!

[Kristi]

That sounds about right! I've had this several times over the past year just thinking, "what is this?!!?" http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[christinew]

Speaking of the trendy iceberg wedge in restaurants, I have learned to make these at home and might I tell you it is easy and cheap(as compared to the outrageous price eaten out)! I however almost always prefer romaine and red leaf so I concur with this board.

I simply core out the iceberg lettuce (kind of like brain surgery) and mix an unspecified amount of cream cheese(lite) with blue cheese and place into the cored out portion and then chill for 4 hours or more. Once I cut it into 4 or 6 wedges I crumble bacon and tomatoes on top and drizzle just a touch of extra virgin olive oil on top!

Great thread.

[slknight]

I actually like iceberg, although I prefer a romaine mix. Since I like very few vegetables, and grew up eating absolutely nothing "exotic," I must admit I still don't like any kind of mixed field greens. If it's got stems on it, I don't like it.

I consider the fact that I will eat iceberg and romaine lettuce a step in the right direction since I used to ONLY eat carrots as my one vegetable. I think it's because as a child I was forced to eat some kind of leaf lettuce from my parents' organic garden. I found little lettuce slugs/worms in my salad one too many times!

[emilycat]

I must admit that I am a lettuce-snob (and beer snob, and fish snob...I won't go on http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif )
I turn my nose up at iceberg, and steer clear of any restaurants that serve it. It doesn't have much taste or nutritional value (two things I like for the food I eat to have plenty of), and I grew up eating it (and liking it) so it's not that I think it tastes bad, but I typically forgo lettuce in salads for arugula, watercress and spinach, and occasionally romaine, so I guess what I don't like about it the most is its "lowbrow" stigma. Gosh, I'm so superficial...

[This message has been edited by emilycat (edited 12-14-2000).]

[Kerri]

Wow, this is a whole other world that I had no idea existed! I do like romaine, but it is expensive and never looks very good in the store. I am a lot like slknight. I NEVER used to eat vegtables and the fact that I eat my iceburg lettuce salad now is a huge deal. I am such a picky eater and I think that texture is why I like the iceburg over other types. I like the mixing idea and may try that.

[sneezles]

Just a little story about living in the country and low-brow chow:

I love salads, especially if some one else does all the chopping but I prefer a variety of lettuce greens, broccoli, mushrooms, orange & yellow peppers, and on and on.
We have a small family run diner here in our little town (pop 283) and ther dinner salad consists of a small(and I do mean small) bowl with iceberg lettuce, two slivers of tomato, huge slices of raw onion and five or six dill pickle slices!!! It is very difficult to eat this with a straight face and I'm not sure if it's the dill pickles http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

Country living! Ya gotta love it!

[kwormann]

I also grew up with a head of iceburg always in the fridge, but since having discovering wild field greens, spinach leaves and romaine, I also dont care for iceburg anymore.

Kim http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[venus]

I can't stand iceberg. There, I've said it. Even on a BLT or a taco, I still prefer green leaf or even mesclun. I had iceberg growing up. My grandmother used to make gigantic salads full of it, but my family and I have slowly discovered green leaf, red leaf, endive, arugula, watercress, mezuma, oak leaf and I have never looked back. I like my food to pack a lot of flavor in each bite and I love mixed green salads where each bite has a different flavor. I actually like the bitter crunchy parts of most greens, especially frisee.

[Susan]

I never knew there was another type of lettuce except iceberg growing up. Since I left home back in, oh, aaahh, let's just say the early 90s, I discovered the world of "REAL LETTUCE"!!! I have since introduced my parents to it! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif Unfortunately, my father still like iceberg the best. Thank goodness my hubby loves real lettuce too! More than I can say for my in-laws though! Oh well, I can still dream...

[hhcowgirl]

Yuck! Iceberg is watery, lacks flavor, and has very few nutrients. Plus, I feel like dressing/toppings just slide right off it. I prefer radicchio, arugula, and especially spinach in my salads anyday! The lowbrow comment may have been in reference to the fact that you can find an iceberg salad in just about any truckstop in America! (AS you can see, I am not a fan).

[Kerri]

This question has really been bothering me lately. Really, ever since Cooking Light did that article on "Low Brow Chow You Love." I had no idea that iceburg lettuce was lowbrow chow!!! Then, a few days ago on the Healthy Living Board, there was a discussion on how some people didn't like iceburg lettuce. I have read that it has very little nutritional value and tried green leaf lettuce, but still prefer my iceburg. It is just nice and crisp and it is what I grew up on. If you have an opinion, I would love to hear it!

[Leanne]

I don't like it (I'll eat it) - it doesn't really have a taste. Field greens are so full of flavor & spinach is too. Although my husband's favorite salad is a wedge of iceburg b/c it's so cold.

[AndreaU]

Maybe the "lowbrow" comment just has to do with the fact that iceburg is an inexpensive lettuce? As for me, I rarely eat the stuff as it does not agree with me whatsoever (get out the Tums). I actually prefer green leaf lettuce, romaine and spinach because they don't have such a high water content and, in my opinion, have more taste than iceburg.

[This message has been edited by AndreaU (edited 12-14-2000).]

[Jodi]

My parents and I argue about salad every time there's a holiday, because I insist on having a green salad, and to them, that means a wedge of iceburg. I say YUCK! I didn't eat much salad growing up, because iceburg doesn't really have a taste to me -- it's just kind of there. Aside from spinach, my salads, to them, are too fancy -- romaine, red leaf lettuce, spinach, green leaf lettuce. You name it and I'll throw it in there. And the other kinds are so much better for you. The only time I eat iceburg these days is when we have tacos (very rare). I guess it's a childhood thing, because we had iceburg in my parents' house.

Interesting thread!

[Jodi]

My parents and I argue about salad every time there's a holiday, because I insist on having a green salad, and to them, that means a wedge of iceburg. I say YUCK! I didn't eat much salad growing up, because iceburg doesn't really have a taste to me -- it's just kind of there. Aside from spinach, my salads, to them, are too fancy -- romaine, red leaf lettuce, spinach, green leaf lettuce. You name it and I'll throw it in there. And the other kinds are so much better for you. The only time I eat iceburg these days is when we have tacos (very rare). I guess it's a childhood thing, because we had iceburg in my parents' house.

Interesting thread!

[Jodi]

Just realized my post doesn't make sense -- my parents and I argue about it on holidays because I live in another state and that's when we see each other. Holidays aren't the only time we have sadlad, though! Oops.

[Ohioan]

Kerri - I know what you mean about liking the crispiness of iceberg lettuce, but ironically, the same thing that makes it crisp makes it nutritionally empty; it's mostly cellulose and water, with few of the B vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that you get in dark green leafy vegetables. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif Iceberg was developed mostly for its shelf-life and durability during shipping. The crunch is just a felicitous by-product. (Hey, everyone, I used the word "felicitous" today!)

For crispiness plus nutrients (and to keep people from making cracks about the height of your brow http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif), try Romaine.
It has the dark green with the vitamins at one end and the crispy, watery crunch at the other. The best of both worlds! -- or, come to think of it, of all three worlds, since it also has pretty good shelf-life in the fridge.

Cheers,
Phoebe

[This message has been edited by Ohioan (edited 12-14-2000).]

[lindrusso]

I stay away from iceburg for the same reasons I stay away from buying white bread - for nutritional purposes. And I agree with Phoebe - Romaine, if young, has some very good crunchy parts that are quite tender and delicious (unlike some other lettuces where the crunchy parts are bitter).

And if you really want the iceburg, why not compromise and do a mixed salad - some iceburg and some darker greens like Romaine or even spinach?